The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

VMI’s first Black superintendent under attack by conservative White alumni

The critics are questioning what VMI is paying Cedric T. Wins and even calling for him to be fired

By
November 21, 2022 at 6:33 a.m. EST
Virginia Military Institute Superintendent Cedric T. Wins speaks during a change-of-command ceremony at the school in Lexington, Va., last year. (Parker Michels-Boyce for The Washington Post)
13 min

Ever since Virginia Military Institute began rolling out new diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives last year, a fierce and well-funded group of conservative alumni has been attacking the efforts to make VMI more welcoming to women and minorities.

Now the mostly White alumni group has turned its sights on a new target: the first Black superintendent at the nation’s oldest state-supported military college.